Afterwards
by whiteandblack157
Summary: A one-shot about what happened with Minerva McGonagall and Neville Longbottom right after the final battle. I might make it a multi-chaptered story with snippets about other characters/pairings right after the battle.


**_AN:_** ** _This little one-shot popped into my head and I had to write it down. It's set right after the final battle. And I might make a multi-chaptered story out of it, because I've snippets of other people dealing with the aftermath of the battle/war in my head. So please let me know how you feel about it. I hope you enjoy!  
_**

 ** _I don't own Harry Potter and don't make any profit_**

Tom Riddle Jr. had been defeated for half an hour or so and Minerva McGonagall sat in a corner of the Great Hall. She just had helped to carry some bodies to an empty class room. So many had died. How could it be so many! Their victory obviously came to a prize. Lost in her thoughts she didn't realise somebody was lightly tapping on her shoulder.

"Professor! Professor!"

"Sorry Mister Finnigan I was miles away. What's the matter?"

"It's Neville. Something is …"

He couldn't finish his sentence, when she was on her feet cutting him off, "Show me were."

They were hurrying out of the Great Hall and found Neville in one of corridors, leaning against a wall, his complexion paler than normally and his eyes wide.

"Mister Longbottom," Minerva addressed him. There wasn't any reaction.

"Where is his grandmother?" She asked Seamus.

"She left, saying that he would be fine and should stay with his friends and help rebuild the school," came his answer.

Minerva huffed in annoyance.

"Neville!" she tried to get his attention again. He turned his head towards her, his eyes slightly unfocussed.

"Come with me my boy," and she carefully took his hand.

"Thank you Mister Finnigan for alerting me," she said over her shoulder,gently guiding Neville towards her quarters, like he was only four years old. She wasn't entirely sure why she brought him to her quarters, but she knew he deserved much more than being in the hospital wing with three dozen other people. Minerva guided him to her bedroom and gently helped him to sit on her bed. She fetched several potions from her bathroom, a bowl with warm water and a wash cloth, when she suddenly realised, that his shirt was stained with blood and the stain got bigger by the minute.

"Neville I'm sorry I have to remove your shirt," and she quickly started unbuttoning his shirt.

There was a deep slash down his right side.

"Oh my!" she gasped and started murmuring incantations so the wound would close.

"Neville you should lie down," Minerva softly spoke and helped him to do so.

She applied some dittany on the wound, to avoid any scarring. When she examined his upper body for any other major wounds, she found old cuts and bruises, that hadn't been treated.

"My brave, brave boy," she mumbled and a stray tear escaped her eye. She gently started washing his face, scrubbing off the dirt and tried up blood. She applied some more dittany and some bruise salve. The Head of Gryffindor tended to her student like a mother. She carefully took of his shoes and socks. Taking off his trousers, checking for some more wounds she found a few bruises and cuts she took care of and gently covered him with her duvet. She poured some blood replenishing potion into his mouth and a light sleeping draught as well. She knew she would have a good two hours before he would wake up again. There was a lot to do and seeing that Neville had already fallen asleep she quietly left her quarters.

* * *

Neville slowly opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. Wondering where he was, he tried to sit up, but fell back with a groan of pain.

The door opened quietly and Neville's jaw fell, "Is this your … your bed, Professor?"

Minerva smiled, "Yes!"

"What happened? How did I get here?"

"You were in shock and lost a lot of blood. I brought you here to take care of you."

"Am I naked," Neville gasped in horror looking down on his bare chest.

His Head of House gave an amused chuckle, "No not entirely. But I had to make sure you hadn't another severe bleeding like the one on your side," she gestured towards his right side, were now there was only a faint pink scar.

"Mister Finnigan gathered some fresh clothes for you," she handed him a t-shirt and laid the rest on the bed.

"How are you Neville?"

He put on his t-shirt and whispered, "Is he really gone?"

"Yes," Minerva gave a small smile.

Neville's eyes filled with tears, he feverishly tried to blink away, but didn't succeed. He could feel the mattress tip a little and two arms pulling him in an embrace. Minerva had gathered him like her son in her arms. He had his face buried in the crook of her neck, sobbing violently.

"Shh Neville. It's over. He is gone. Hogwarts is going to be a safe place again. You've been so, so brave. You were my light in these dark days. Always caring for the weaker ones, never looking after yourself. I'm so proud of you." She gently rocked him back and forth. After a while his crying died down and he entangled himself from the older witch.

"Thank you Professor. I can't remember the last time somebody held me and cared for me like a mother," he said shyly, not daring to look at the teacher, "My grandmother is not the affectionate type."

"No she isn't!" Minerva commented dryly.

"And please don't call me Professor, we are way past this. I'm Minerva," she reached and softly brushed her thumb over his cheek.

"I brought you some chicken soup. You need to eat something." She handed him the bowl of soup and a spoon, but he couldn't hold it, his hand trembling so much.

"May I?" she asked and when he nodded she started feeding him the soup.

"You are so weak. Neville you must get some more sleep."

When he had finished the soup she handed him a phial, "That's some more sleeping draught. It's stronger than the last one. I'll give you some pepper up potion tomorrow morning. Your body needs rest, a lot of rest. Giving you the pepper-up potion now would be counterproductive. And here is some pain reliever potion," Minerva said.

"Thank you Professor," he replied." She raised an eyebrow.

"I mean M…Minerva."

She got up, winked at him and leaving the room she said, "Sleep tight my boy."

* * *

The next morning came and Minerva was sitting at the dining table in her quarters head in her hands, dozing off, when the noise of opening door made her jump.

"Good morning Neville!"

"Good morning Prof… Minerva," he smiled.

"Did you get some sleep at all last night, Minerva?"

"Three hours, maybe four."

"That's not enough," he scolded and reached over to cover her hand with his.

"I know but there is so much to do," she stifled a yawn.

"I can help with stuff," he said.

"And you will," she flicked her wand towards his chest. He looked down there and gasped, looking at a head boy's badge attached to his t-shirt.

It took a couple of moments to sink in but then he said, "They made you headmistress! I'm glad. Good choice."

"Thanks, Neville. I tell you what, first we will have breakfast together and then I'll catch up on some sleep and you go and find some work to do."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

 _ **AN: So what do you think? Do you want to read some more? With other characters maybe Harry and Ginny or Narcissa and Lucius or...  
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